The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-09-28
HENRY i. BIOSSAT, Business Manage

break on one side. Then two or three
men do the cutting out. while the rest
are stationed on the skirts of the field
to drive back any animal which might
escape. Very often COW does make
a break, and then it is the duty of the
man nearest her to head her back into
the herd. The COW and her calf arc
as swift as deer and as sure-footed as
mules, and as the ground around the
lakes is literally besprinkled with
badger holes, running is accompanied
with great deal of danger. BY night
time the cattle have generally been
collected, when camp is made and a
rest is taken for the hard work to fol.
low on the morrow.
THE UNHAPPY CALF.
The sun has scarce thought of be-
stirring itself ere the little camp is in
action. Wood is soon heaped up into
pile, fire is ablaze, and the prepara-
ton for the morning meal is rapidly
made and as rapidly concluded.
Before five o'clock the men who are
to separate the cows from the calves
are in the corrals. and soon finish that
work. Then comes the real trouble.
The fire for heating the branding irons
is soon alight, the man who has to
drag the calves from out the inner cor
raj mounts his horse and the play be-
gins. The mounted man holds the end
of long RATA. while the moose is held
by man on foot, who enters the calf
crowded corral and lassos the calf.
The moose is slipped over the body,
and is made taut at the hind foot. But
before it can get to the feet there is
generally trouble. Roundabout the
corral bucks the calf tumbling and
sprawling kicking and believing. and
making an indescribable confusion.
However, this does not last long. The
rope is soon down by his feet, the word
pull is given. and the calf is hauled
to the gate, where a man adroitly
slips moose over lis head and fore
feet. Thus bound head and feet the
calf is helpless. Then a man slips
out q pocket-knife, slashes its ears
into whateveG fashion prevails on the
ranch. whilst another applies the brand
ing iron. Thus in about minute
from the time the calf is caught he
is marked and bran led. Tho calf
does not seem to feel the muliation in
the least. He does not seem 10 vince
at the looping of his cars. though
Esometimes SILVER does pass through
its frame when the hot iron sears ~"
indclible m ,rk upon its flank. But
when over the calf hops gayly up and
trots up to his companions as if per-
fectly unhurt
TROUBLESOME BRUTE.
This is but mild statement of the
case. The gentle reader need not inn
agine that all that the cowboy has to
do is to enter corral and slip y rop"
over six-weeks-old calf and have a
horse haul the animal out. /, is by no
means SO easy. The calf never yields
He will kick, squirm. buck, charge.
rush, and butt at every thing. Though
well-nigh throttled to death. he will
tug at the rope which encirclcs his
neck until the rope is ready to SNAP
with the tension. Then the alert COW,
boy will make rush at the calf. and,
catching him on the side. will bring
him with thump on the ground,
while the rest throw themselves on
him with view to brand. Oae seem.
ingly innocent, weak-looking calf vii
give half dozen men all the work
they can possibly do to hold him down,
it would seem that boy with orli-
nary strength would be able to achieve
the mastery. But the calf's chief de.
light is to break away from the ban'
when entering the corral, and ther
lead the horsemen dance over the
badger-holes and the rocks. In this
he plays game OF catch-as-catch- car
with mastery ingenuity. He lodges
in and out among the horses, eludes
the circling rope. runs underneath the
horses, and practices such ingeniou:
devices for avoiding capture that one
feels like shooting the active little
brute. The ages of these calves thai
were branded ran from three days ole
to one month there were, of eoursc
some calves branded which were older
but the majority of the animals were
of that age. This will enable one to
form some idea of the extraordinary
strength and activity of the calf
The men are generally worn out
after the exertion of the day, for the
work in the corral is of a hot, thirsty
, and dirty nature. The dust flies il
clouds; there is not the slightest pre-
tense of shade, nor is there any respite
until the calves are all branded. 1t i
one continued pulling, hauling ant
| cutting; general mingling togethe
t Of blood and dirt with the repeated
chances of vicious kick from a stou
, and active leg or prong from sharl
horn. And then when it is over din
ner has to be cooked, and. while tn
venison steaks are frizzling in the fry
ing-pan and the tea is brewing, mos
extraordinary stories are told Of hair
breadth escapes from COW and of
horse.
A Valuable Suggestion.